The Man in the Tree
by AHinkle
Summary: Time has passed and so have the memories of the great hero but still he stands to intercept those who wish to harm.
1. Chapter 1

He stared up at the top of the hill. The tree massive and imposing, casting a cool shadow on the valley below. A breeze ruffled the branches and leaves, the golden fleece glittering when the sun hit. A dragon slept soundly at the base, smoke curling arounf his snout. The image almost serene if not for the dark shadow that sat on a sturdy branch up high.

"Who is that?" The small boy inquired to the camp leader. Half man half horse, a centaur named Chiron. He looked up at the shape and sighed. Chiron didn't quite know where to start. Instead he picked up the boy, Aiden, and put him on his back. They passes the strawberry patches, the cabins, and the camp fire before Chiron answered. While he wasn't sure his explanation would do justice, he knew he had to say something.

"A man from a long time ago. He protects us-"

"Like the fleece?" Aiden interuppted. Chiron chuckled.

"Yes, sort of like the fleece. He's a great warrior, fought many a battle for us." Chirom paused, collecting himself. Reminiscing made his heart weary and his mind cloudy.

"Chiron? What's wrong? What happened?" Aiden asked, the words rushing out. He wanted to understand, he wantes to know what made Chiron silent.

"I'm alright, my boy. Let's continue. This man stays in that tree to protect us. Patrols and watches for any sniff of danger. His job is to make sure we are safe, no one gave him this job, he took it upon himself to make sure little rascals like you arrive safely. He vowed a long time ago that he would protect anyone who takes asylum here, no matter who they are."

"What if he doesn't like someone? What if someone annoys him?" Aiden inquired, he wanted to know how this man could do this all day, all the time.

"Emotions never get in his way. If they dide he wouldn't be able to complete his tasks." Chiron and Aiden look out over the lake watxhing the ripples roll in.

"Is he Spock?"

"Does he seem like an intergalactic space alien to you?" Chiron asked, his voice breathy from laughing.

"Well, he doesn't look much like anything, he's so far up. I don't know what he looks like."

"That is fair. You made fair points but no he's is not Spock, just a man."

"What's his name?" Aiden had been wanting to ask since the beginning but the other questions in his head had jumped to the forfront of his mind. Chiron looked back at Aiden with a small smile.

"Oh, he doesn't really have a name anymore. A few here still rember but they've long since used the term."

"Then what do I call him? What do I say to get his attention when I go to talk to him? I've gotta be able to fet his attention from so far up. He's gotta be lonely. I'd hate to sit up in a tree all day." Chiron knew that the man wouldn't want to talk but he had hope that maybe something would change this time. It had been awhile since he'd tried communicating with their protector. Maybe, just maybe, this time would be different. He had a feeling that Aiden wouldn't give up easily.

"Well, Aiden, I guess you can call him Spock. He might even get a kick out of that." Aiden exclaimed in joy and threw himself off Chiron, running to the tree on the hill. Chiron chuckled and watched the small boy disappear, doubt crept into his mind but he pushed the tendrils away. He needed to keep up hope that the man in the tree was not lost to them. Chiron let out a breathe, letting the name that was once shouted roll off his tongue, barely audible but still there none the less.

"Percy..."


	2. Chapter 2

"Mr. Spock?"

"Mr. Spock?"

"I'm not leaving Mr. Spock. In fact I'm going to sit here till you decide to talk to me." Aiden sat with a huff, crossing his arms and looking out past the barrier. He would keep watch, just like Mr. Spock.

"Aiden?" Aiden scrambles to his feet looking up the tree waiting for the voice to come again. "Aiden?" The voice didn't come from the tree, no, it came from a very familiar camp counciler and son of Jupiter.

"Yes, Jason?" Aiden sat back down and continued his watch.

"Whatchya doing, buddy?" The blonde haired immortal asked.

"I'm waiting for Mr. Spock to talk to me."

"Mr. Spock?"

"Yes, Mr. Spock. Our gaurdian. Chiron told me he has to keep his emotions in check so he can do his job." Aiden said matter of factly.

"Hence, Mr. Spock. I see now." Jason chanced a glance up at the shadow but 'Mr. Spock' didn't move.

"Chiron said that only a few people know him. He said that he was a great hero a long time ago. You're old, did you know him?" Jason laughed at being called old but quickly fell silent. He honeslty hadn't thought too much of 'their gaurdian' in quite awhile. Which, he supposed, was the heroes' plan. He wanted to disappear and be forgotten, do his job so no one would have to worry and leaving everyone to think of arts and crafts and capture the flag. "Chiron did that too when I asked." Aiden's voice cut through the fog of thoughts in his mind.

"I'm sorry, it's been awhile," Jason whispered.

"I said you were old, I wasnt kidding." Aiden guffawed. "So, why'd you come looking for me?" Jadon had forgotten the whole reason he was here. Getting late. Dinner.

"Dinner... it's time for dinner. I came to get you, didn't want you to miss it. I know how grumpy you get without food." Jason ended with a smile.

"I dont get grumpy!" Aiden pouts out. His indignation giving him away. Jason only gave him a look and the boy conceeded. Aiden sighed defeatedly interjecting, "Okay, so I need food but I can't leave Mr. Spock. I told him I wouldn't."

"I think Mr. Spock will forgive you for eating. He's not one to skip meals himself." The lie came out easily. Their gaurdian doesn't eat, he once ate anything amd everything but he hadn't needes to for decades now. He wasn't limited by mortal means. Jason starts walking toward the dining pavillion, Aiden hesitating before following.

"Bye, Mr. Spock. I'll see you after the campfire tonight!" Aiden spins to face Jason before excitedly asking, "What should I eat tonight?"

"What ever you want, buddy." Jason smiled as he listened to Aiden list all the foods he could eat but his mind wandered to a time when a nice meal wasn't so certain.


	3. Chapter 3

Rain sprayed down like bullets when he woke up. He was not one to worry during a storm but he knew a certain little boy would be out by that tree. 'If Mr. Spock is willing to sit in all conditions then I will do the same. Show him how serious I am.' Aiden had said that every time it stormed or the wind blew in a different direction. Aiden had been inseperable from his spot next to the tree. Spent every waking moment not eating or training to talk to Mr. Spock. No luck so far. Aiden hadnt been with them long. His goldy parent had yet to claim him but he wasn't deterred or jaded. He was just glad to have a home with people who cared for him. Jason hoped his carefree disposition lasted. Especially through his fascination with... No, he couldn't even think his name. Jason looked out toward the top if the hill. He saw Aiden standing there face upturned with a smile. The answering silence more of a challenge than a deterent.

"Jason" Jason whipped around to face the son of Hades and son of Mars.

"We're gathering, Jason. That time of year, you know." Frank said a little ruefully. Jason nods and starts towards the Big House but Nico stopped him with a question.

"What's that kid doing?"

" _Aiden_ is talking to..." Nico looked at Jason worried but also angered. Deeper but still there, "you know. Trying to get him to come down or have a conversation. I don:t know, he's not having much luck."

"I think he has a chance, Grace." Nico was staring right in toJason's eyes, daring him to counter.

"Well, I think we need to go. Us watching and thinking isnt going to do amything. We have more important things to attend to."The three walk to the Big House where the imortal camp councilers had gathered.

Every year they met, the same day they had first gathered after the others demise. The fallen had their shrouds burned and that night was when they came together, truly starting what should've been how they conducted their lives and the lives of the campers. Their talks ranged from common place training to threats to the greater good. The group consisted of Jason, Nico, Frank, Piper, and Hazel. That's who was left. Except for one but he could'nt join them. Not for a lack of them trying but they could'nt convince him to unstick himself from his statue like perch.

"Another year gone by, what did we accomplish?" Hazel spoke up. She genuinly wanted to know. This was how she kept us on track and kept our heads up. Frank raised his hand. Hazel nodded to him sweetly.

"All quests to retrieve new demigods have arrived safely. Keeping our streak of safety, meaning one satyrs and one demugods is still the most effevtive team to bring in new arrivals."

"Alright, next."

"No intruders have gitten past the tree this year. While we had attempts at our back border, no one was harmed." Nixo said.

"Anything from you, Jason?" He looked up suddenly. He'd been studying the table intent yet not looking at all and Hazel knew that. She could always tell when something was off.

"A new kid, Aiden, has taken to the camp queite nicely," Jason pauses and look out the window, not sure how to really say what he knew he needed to say. "But he's also very curious. He spends all day at the tree talking-"

"Talking?" Hazel interupts.

"Conversing with... Percy." Silence followed. No one dared break the weight that had fallen on them from just that name. Hazel opend and closed her mouth, trying to respnd but coming up short.

"Does he talk back?" Piper asks, finally speaking up. She was to curious to hold back any longer.

"No, but Aiden is trying. He wants him to answer he wants this built up figure to come down amd be as regal and couragoues as Chiron has led Aiden to believe." They sit in silence after Jasons explanation. What are they to do? "Aiden calls him Mr. Spock."

"Percy would have loved that." Hazel says dreamily.

"He's not dead." Nico grits iut.

"No, not dead but not living either."


	4. Chapter 4

Mr. Spock only came down for threats against the camp and this was one of those times. A group of hellhounds were fast approaching, following three campers. They were coming back from a city trip and were strolling up the hill to their home. The three, two girls and a boy around 12, were oblivious to their surroundings. A small flutter alerted Aiden that the shadow had finally come down the tree. Aiden jumped up ready to talk to Mr. Spock but he was not spared a glance.

The shadow, for he was a shadow as he was dressed in a black hooded cloak, rushed towards the campers. Suprised by the sudden arrival of a cloaked man, they closed their eyes to the inevitable. They would die by the hand of a shadow man. No weapons to save them, they were in the city with no way to conceal weapons. Not everyone had a pen or a coin.

Mr. Spock made quick work of the hell hounds, he had moved so quickly. A pace only someone who had more than a lifetime of experience. When the campers opened their eyes the cloaked man was gone and gold dust flowed around in the breeze and littered the grass. They rushed into camp running to Chiron. They didn't understand, they needed answers. Who was their protector?

Aiden stood where he'd been the whole time. He saw Mr. Spock climb back up the tree as quickly as he could to avoid anyone but Aiden could have sworn that he had paused for just a second and look at him before climbing. Maybe he was getting somewhere.

Yelling alerted the camp that something was up. The three campers ran toward the Big House all the while hollering about a shadow man. The immortal councilers knew exactly who they ment. They had all been taking care of one matter or the other but quickly congregated near the Big House.

Chiron opened the front door, motioning the group in.

"Everything alright, Chiron?" Frank asked skeptical but not worried. Chiron looked tired, not alarmed. The campers though, looked about ready to faint.

"These young ladies and gentleman witnessed our protector doing his job. Got a little spooked is all." Chiron said evenly. Every once in awhile Percy would have to come down from the tree and defend the camp. Not many monsters dared to attack since Percy started his self imposed quest.

"H-he...came r-r-right at us," the boy stuttered out. The girls nodded along. Chiron picked up the explanation.

"The hellhounds had followed them from the city, thought they were way targets I guess. They were right behind the youngsters so our guardian scared them in his duty to protect them. That's all this was."

"Are you guys alright?" Piper asked the children. They nodded and shuffled out, a little more than embarrassed to their reactions. Piper turned to Chiron, "They wouldn't be so scared if they knew who he was."

"That is not our choice to make. We cannot force him to come out," Chiron said.

"Is he not affected by what happens inside this camp anymore? Does he not realize the effect he had on others. Sure the camp is safe but they're scared." Piper gritted out.

"The campers will soon forget like they always do," Chiron reassured. Hazel stepped in.

"Till next time."

"Yes, till next time." Chiron echoed.

"Maybe it's time, Chiron. It's been half a century already. We didn't push him them and we aren't now. How long do we have to wait?" Nico took a breath. He'd been holding back for awhile now and he couldn't any longer. "In the beginning it was grief, but now he's practically exhiled himself from the world. What kind of life is his?"

"We cannot help him, my boy." Chiron replied.

"Doesn't mean we can't try." Nico said.

"Doesn't mean someone isn't," Jason piped up.

"You referring to Mr. Spock's little shadow?" Jason nodded. "I had hoped Aiden would have more luck by now."

"Sir, we've all been watching closely, waiting for somethin-anything to happen. He wouldn't have let any one of us close ourselves off like he has. We need to do what we were supposed to do from the beginning." Frank looked around at everybody as he spoke. The gravity of his words resting on their shoulders, reminding them of what they used to be. Finally Chiron spoke,

"This is what we'll do. Aiden will not be alone in his efforts. I want you guys to be there helping Aiden when you can. Not just in your free time, make sure to carve out some time to talk to Percy. Show him we are putting in effort to reach him. There may not be a response but we have to try." Chiron took a deep breath, "remind him of who he was."


End file.
